Boot or shoe nailing machine



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. M. WELSH.

BOOT 0R SHOE NAILING MACHINE; x No. 403,081 Patented May 7, 1889.

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(No Modem 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 7, 1889.

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N0.-403,081. Patented May 7, 1889.

('No Model.) 4 Sheets-Shaet 4.

M. WELSH.

BOOT 0R SHOE NAILING MACHINE.

No. 403,081. Patented May 7, 188.9.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

MORRIES \VELSII, OF QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION METALLIC FASTENING COMPANY, OF NEIV JERSEY.

BOOT OR SHOE NAILING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,081, dated May 7, 1889.

Application filed December 22, 1888. Serial No. 294,400- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MORRIES \VELSH, of Quincy, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boot or Shoe Nailing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for making nails from continuously-supplied wire and driving the same into soles and heels of boots and shoes; and it has for its object to enable the operator to control the boot or shoe more perfectly than heretofore, so that the nails may be more uniformly spaced and arranged in rows parallel with the edge of the sole or heel, and also to provide improved mechanism whereby the work-supporting horn is given the same relief movement to release the work and permit it to be moved by the feeding devices, whether the thickness of work interposed between the horn and the throat, through which the nails are driven, be greater or less.

To these ends the invention consists in the several improvements, which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a nailing-machine provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 represents a front elevation of a portion of the same, the horn being shown in section. Fig. 3 represents a bottom view of the throat, through which the nails are driven into the work. Fig. 4 represents a section on line x 00, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 represents a side elevation of aportion of the machine. Fig. 6 represents a section on line y y, Fig. 5, looking toward the left. Fig. 7 represents a side elevation of the driving-pulley. Figs. 8 and 9 represent views of the clamp or brake detached.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

a represents the supporting-standard, at the top of which are bearings 11 b, in which the driving-shaft c is journaled. Said shaft is rotated by power communicated by a belt running on a pulley, d. A suitable automatic stop-motion is provided, whereby the pulley d is released or disengaged from the shaft after a complete rotation of the latter-thatis, after each nail has been severed and driven; but as said stop-motion is common in this class of machines I do not deem it necessary to describe the same.

The machine is provided with a feed-dog or awl, which feeds the work; wire-cuttingmechanism, which severs a nail from the wire supplied to the machine; feeding mechanism to feed the wire, and a driver to force the nail into the heel. Said parts are operated entirely by the driving-shaft, excepting the driver, which is raised by said shaft and forcibly depressed by a spring.

The mechanism above referred to may be of any suitable constructionfor example, that shown in Letters Patent granted to Andrew Eppler, J r., August 14, 1883, No. 283,228, to which reference may be had for a description of an organized machine to which my improvements are applicable.

6 represents the work supporting horn, which is fitted to move vertically in guides or bearings on the standard a, and is normally supported against downward pressure by a heavy spiral spring, f. The upper end of the horn has a vertical socket, which receives a spiral spring, g, Fig. 2, and a sliding plunger or shank, h, resting on said spring. On said shank is formed a circular foot, t', which supports the inner surface of the heel or sole while the latter is being nailed. The heavy spring f supports the heel against the blow imparted bythe driver, as in the patent above referred to. The foot 2' is, however, a new feature, and its office is to act as a springpresser, holding the top lift of the heel with a light pressure against the throat-plate,while the horn is depressed to remove the heavy pressure of the spring f from the heel, the light pressure thus imparted being sufficient to prevent loose lateral movement of the shoe during the feeding movement, and to thus enable the operator to more readily control the shoe and secure uniformity in the spacing and arrangement of the nails. The foot '5 is adapted to rotate and thereby facilitate the feeding of the work. The edge of the heel bears against a gage, j, attached to the throat k, and is kept in contact with said gage or prevented from moving freely away from the same during the work-feeding operation by the foot.

The lower end of the horn is connected by a link, m, with a treadle, n, which is pivoted at to cars on the standard a. To the rear end of the treadle n is pivoted a vertical rod, p, connecting the treadle with one arm of a bell-crank lever, g, which is pivoted at r to the standard a. The other arm of said bellcrank lever has a trundle-roll, which bears against a cam, r, affixed to the driving-shaft c, and is held in contact with said cam by the upward pressure of the spring f on the horn, said pressure being communicated to the bellcrank lever q through the link on, treadle n, and rod 1).

The cam r is timed to move the bell-crank lever against the pressure of the spring f and thus depress the horn (through the rod 7.) and treadle n) while the work is being fed by the awl or feed-dog, the heavy pressure of the spring f being thus removed from the work during the feed movement, leaving the work under the light pressure of the foot '17.

The depression of the horn, which is termed the relief movement, because it relieves the work from the pressure of the heavy spring, is, in the patented machine above referred to, invariablethat is, the horn is moved clownwardly a fixed and unvarying distance from the throat each time. This unvarying relief is objectionable, because when the minimum thickness of work is interposed between the horn and throat the relief movement is greater than is required, and when extra thick work is in place the relief movement is liable to be insufficient. To obviate this objection, I have provided improved mechanism whereby the extent of relief movement imparted to the horn is always the same without regard to the thickness of the work interposed between the horn and throat, said mechanism being as follows: The arm of the bell-crank lever q is provided with a pinion, 1v, affixed to a short shaft, a, which is journaled in bearings in said lever, and to said shaft at one side of the lever is aflixed a cylindrical collar or hub, Z). The upper end of the connecting-rod p is provided with a rack, c, meshing with the pinion in. When the pinion w is free to rotate in its bearings, the rod 1) may be moved independently of the lever q, so that the horn may be adjusted at any desired height by the thickness of the material upon it, and thus conform to the thickness of said material without movement of the bell-crank lever; but when the pinion w is prevented from rotating and locked to the bell-crank lever, by the means hereinafter described, said lever and the rod 1) become positively connected. Around the collar or hub b of the shaft to which the pinion is afiixed is a brake or clamp, cl. (Shown detached in Figs. 8 and 9.) Said clamp is composed of a spiral strap of metal encircling said collar and having at one end a lug, 2,

which is supported by a bearing, 6', 011 the lever q, (said bearing being in this case an adjustable screw in a lug on said lever.) To the other end of said strap or clamp is atlixed an ear, 3, against which bears a roll, f", on one end of a lever, g, which is pivoted at h to a bracket affixed to the standard a. The other end of the lever g has a roll, 71, which stands in the path of a canny", on one side of the cam 1*, that moves the bell-crank lever to give the relief movement to the horn.

The cam 4; extends partly around the driving-shaft-, and is formed to come in contact with the roll a" 011 the lever g and turn said lever on its fulcrum. just before the cam '1 acts on the bell-crank lever g. This movement of the lever g causes the roll f on its shorter arm to move the arm or lug 3 on the strap (1' inwardly, as indicated by the dotted arrow in Fig. 6, and thereby compress the clamp upon the collar I), thus locking the pinion so that it cannot rotate. The length of the cam j is such that the clamp is held in its compressed condition during the relief movement and is released after said movement.

It will be seen that while the pinion w is free to rotate there is no positive connection. between the horn and the bell-crank lever q, so that the horn can take any position re quired by the thickness of the work. It will also be seen that the same extent of relief movement is imparted to the horn whether the work be thick or thin, the body of the horn being carried downward to the same extent from the under surface of apiece of work of maximum thickness as from a thinner piece.

It should be borne in mind, however, that, as already stated, the work is not entirely released by the relief movement, the latter being sufficient only to remove the heavy pressure of the spring f and not suflicient to remove the pressure of the foot 1? from the work, the latter rising and continuing to hold the work with a light pressure against the throat it during the relief movement, said pressure being of very material aid to the operator in controlling the work while it is being fed. On the bottom of the throat 7c an adjustable edge gage or guide,j, against which the edge of the heel is held during the operation. Said gage is formed on a plate, 011/, which is provided with a transverse slot receiving a plate, a. Said plate is capable of sliding lengthwise on a fixed stud, 0, which passes through a diagonal slot, 1), in the plate a. (See Fig. 3.) Said slot and pin cause the plate to move laterally when it is moved endwise, and by its lateral movements to change the position of the gage j and move the latter toward or from the slot q, through which the nails are driven. The gage cannotbe moved by the pressure of the work against it, but requires for its adjustment a movement of the plate a, so that there is no liability of accidental movement of the gage, the plate n being movable only at right angles to the direction of pressure of the work against the gage.

I am aware that it is not new to provide automatic means whereby the horn is given the same extent of relief of movement Whether its depression by the work be greater or less; but the devices employed by me for. this purpose are simpler and more effective than any which have been heretofore employed.

The machine is particularly adapted by the described improvements for driving slugs into the heels of boots and shoes.

I claim 1. In a nailing-machine, the combination, with nail-driving and work-feeding mechanism, of a horn having a heavy supportingspring, f, mechanism whereby the horn is depressed at intervals to release the work from the pressure of said spring, and a foot supported on the horn by alighter spring, whereby the work is lightly held while relieved of the pressure of the spring f, as set forth.

2. In a nailing-machine, a vertically-movable horn provided with a spring-supported foot adapted to rotate in the horn, combined with an edge gage or guide for the work, as set forth.

3. In a nailing-machine, the combination of a horn having a foot, 2', the throat k, the movable gage j on said throat, and the plate n, engaged with said gage and having a diagonal slot, 19, and a fixed guiding-pin, 0', as set forth.

4. In a nailing-machine, the combination of the horn and its supporting-spring f, the pivoted bellcrank lever having a pinion on one of its arms and a collar or hub, b, affixed to said pinion, the spiral band or brake surrounding said hub and having one end supported by the bell-crank lever, the rod p, having a rack meshing with said pinion, a treadle connected with the horn and the rod, a cam on the driving-shaft whereby the bellcrank lever is displaced periodically, and means for compressing the band or brake upon the hub during the displacement of the bell-crank lever, whereby the pinion is locked and the rod 1) is rigidly connected to the bellcrank lever, as set forth.

5. In a nailing-machine, the combination of the horn and its supporting-spring f, the pivoted bell-crank lever having a pinion on one of its arms and a collar or hub, 12, aflixed to said pinion, the spiral band or brake surrounding said hub and 'having one end supported by the bell-crank lever, the rod 10, having a rack meshing with said pinion, a treadle connected with the horn and the rod, a cam on the driving-shaft whereby the bell-crank lever is displaced periodically, a cam, j, operated by the driving-shaft, and a lever, g, pivoted to the frame of the machine and having one arm arranged to be moved by the cam j and another arm in contact with a lug on the free end of the band or brake, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this lth day of December, A. D. 1888.

MORRIES WELSH.

Witnesses:

O. F. BROWN, A. D. HARRISON. 

